Starts With A Bang
An astrophysicist's guide to the cosmos, exploring the biggest questions about the universe from its origins to its ultimate fate.
Best for
Science enthusiasts and curious readers who want accessible, deeply researched explanations of astrophysics, cosmology, and the fundamental workings of the universe
Why we recommend it
- Written by an award-winning PhD astrophysicist with nearly two decades of science communication experience
- Covers a wide range of topics from particle physics to the large-scale structure of the cosmos with rigorous accuracy
- Includes an interactive Ask Ethan series where readers can submit their own science questions
Starts With A Bang is a long-running science newsletter by Dr. Ethan Siegel, a theoretical astrophysicist and author of four books including "The Grand Cosmic Story" published by National Geographic. Since its founding in 2008, the publication has grown from a personal blog into one of the most widely read astrophysics newsletters on the internet, now hosted on Substack with over 61,000 subscribers. Each week, Siegel tackles questions about the origin and fate of the universe, the nature of dark matter and dark energy, the latest discoveries from telescopes and particle accelerators, and much more, all written in language accessible to non-specialists while maintaining scientific rigor.
What sets Starts With A Bang apart from other science newsletters is Siegel's ability to connect cutting-edge research to the big existential questions that fascinate general readers. Whether explaining why the night sky is dark, how gravitational waves reveal colliding black holes, or what the cosmic microwave background tells us about the first moments after the Big Bang, Siegel brings both deep expertise and genuine enthusiasm for wonder. The newsletter also features a popular Ask Ethan column where subscribers submit their own questions about the cosmos, creating an engaging dialogue between a working scientist and a curious public. Previously featured on Forbes and ScienceBlogs, Starts With A Bang now publishes through both its own Substack and the Big Think Substack network.
